Thursday, July 29, 2010

Since Rep Henry Hyde, there has been no Catholic statesman who deserves the title of Catholic hero like Rep Chris Smith (R-NJ). Kristen Hawkins of Students for Life will be awarding him a pro-life Wilberforce award tomorrow, and he richly deserves it. As I said in my article in Canticle Magazine, he is a living example of what can happen when a Catholic man of conviction takes office. May we send him many pro-life cohorts this November. God bless you Chris, you are a great man, who is exactly the type of man to fill the shoes of William Wilberforce.

Kristan Hawkins describes his latest efforts to keep Obama from expanding abortion through health care, and then details his noble career.

Tomorrow, Students for Life of America is honoring U.S. Congressman Chris Smith for his tireless efforts in the U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of the unborn and their mothers. At the 3rd Annual SFLA Summer Social in Arlington, Virginia (www.sflasummersocial.com), Con. Smith will be awarded the Wilberforce Leadership Award.

As the chair of the bi-partisan Pro-Life Caucus in the House of Representatives, Con. Smith has lead all of the pro-life battles in Congress for decades. He is the key leader within in the pro-life movement and is responsible for saving thousands of lives through his legislative efforts.

I can think of no one more deserving of this award than Congressman Smith. He is a true hero for Life and human rights worldwide. In fact, tomorrow, Con. Smith will be introducing a new piece of legislation, the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" (http://www.lifenews.com/nat6565.html), to ensure no federal taxpayer funds pay for abortions. Read more about all Con. Smith has done below.

P.S. - The Wilberforce Leadership Award is named for William Wilberforce who was a member of the British Parliament who lead the abolition movement in Britain. Wilberforce worked for 26 years in Parliament to abolish the slave trade and finally passed the Slave Trade Act in 1807, abolishing slave trade within the British Empire.

Biography of Congressman Chris Smith

Now in his 15th term in Congress, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) is a senior member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the dean of the New Jersey delegation. First elected in 1980, Rep. Smith, 57, represents New Jersey’s Fourth Congressional District, which includes parts of Mercer, Ocean, Burlington and Monmouth Counties in the central part of the state. Congressman Smith and his wife Marie have together dedicated their personal and public lives to fight against threats to human rights and to advance respect for the dignity and intrinsic value of each and every human life worldwide.

Rep. Smith is best known in Congress for his work to protect the vulnerable: such as women, children, veterans, disabled persons, the unborn, the poor, political prisoners of conscience or religion, and the elderly. His list of legislative accomplishments continues to grow, including groundbreaking new laws on issues such as health care for veterans, human rights, terrorism prevention, combating human trafficking and violence against women. The Congressman’s active legislative and constituent service agenda is born out of his faith. He often cites Matthew 25 saying “Christ said whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers, you do likewise to me.” It has been the cornerstone and motivating factor in his congressional portfolio from his leadership on the pro-life issue to his work increasing healthcare and benefits for veterans, fighting for the oppressed throughout the world, protecting women and children caught up in sex-trade, supporting living wages, worker protections, child health programs and a safe and clean environment. He is the author of over 30 laws including: America’s three landmark anti-trafficking laws which have created new penalties for traffickers and new protections for the victims, mostly women and children; as well as more than a dozen veterans health, education and homeless benefits laws, and laws shaping state department programs, embassy security and health care.
Throughout his tenure in Congress and as the former Chairman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on Human Rights, and Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Rep. Smith has played and continues to play a key role in promoting religious freedom and other human rights reforms in Romania, Vietnam, China, the Sudan, Cuba, Ethiopia, Northern Ireland, the Congo and elsewhere.

Mr. Smith’s commitment to protecting the unborn is a vital component of his human rights agenda. He passionately believes that the most fundamental human right is the right to life. Through his role as a legislator, the congressman actively works to protect universal human rights for all—from womb to tomb.

Serving as co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus for 25 years, Rep. Smith has been a leader in the advancement of numerous pro-life legislative initiatives as well as being constantly vigilant in fighting anti-life efforts.

Congressman Smith is the author of the Smith Federal Employee Health Benefits amendment which was first passed as an annual “appropriations rider” in 1982 and, despite efforts to rescind the policy, has been retained every year since except FY94-95. The Smith Amendment prevents taxpayer funding of abortions through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

For many years, Mr. Smith has been at the forefront of passing and protecting other “appropriations riders” which must be retained annually to prohibit federal funding of abortion and protect and promote the culture of life. In 2010, Smith introduced legislation to make “riders” that prohibit funding for abortion permanent and government-wide. The “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” is a comprehensive bill that if enacted will reduce the need for numerous separate abortion funding policies and ensure that no program or agency is exempt from this important safeguard.
As the author of the $265 million Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act, which became law in 2005, Rep. Smith is an untiring advocate for ethical and effective stem cell treatments and research using umbilical cord blood and adult stem cells. These non-controversial stem cells—which are derived without killing human embryos—can be used to treat a host of diseases, and the congressman remains committed to ensuring that adequate funds are appropriated to fund this important program. When the House Appropriations Committee dramatically underfunded the program in 2007, Rep. Smith offered an amendment to the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Act to increase funding. The Smith stem cell amendment passed without objection.

Rep. Smith has been a long time champion of the U.S. “Mexico City Policy” which prevents foreign abortion providers and promoters from receiving U.S. federal taxpayer dollars. He led the fight to protect this administrative policy during the Reagan Administration and both Bush Administrations. When the Clinton Administration rescinded the policy, Mr. Smith made every effort to reinstate it legislatively and, in 1999, he succeeded in getting the policy reinstated for FY00. The policy has been in place every year of President George W. Bush’s presidency, but President Obama made overturning it a top priority, and rescinded it during his first 48 hours in office. The policy remains rescinded despite legislative attempts by Rep. Smith and others to reinstate it. These efforts have come in the face of persistent and vicious attacks from pro-abortion media and lobbyists.
Congressman Smith believes that women have a right to know that their child has the capacity to feel excruciating pain during an abortion and has introduced legislation to ensure proper informed consent for women seeking an abortion. His groundbreaking legislation, the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act, was considered in the House in the 109th Congress, but was not enacted. Rep. Smith continues to work for the passage of this common-sense legislation, and is a key advocate for passage of the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, the Custody Protection Act and the Human Cloning Prohibition Act. He also tirelessly promoted the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Born Alive-Infant Protection Act and Unborn Victims of Violence Act – all of which have been enacted into law.

In addition to his work in defense of life in Washington, Rep. Smith has attended numerous U.N. forums, and travels worldwide promoting the rights of unborn children and other disenfranchised persons.

Rep. Smith has been involved in the pro-life movement since his days at Trenton State College (now the College of New Jersey) where he co-founded the Trenton State Pro-Life Committee. Upon graduation, Smith became Executive Director of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee.

Mr. Smith is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Ranking Republican on the Africa and Global Health Subcommittee and has authored numerous human rights laws in addition to his Trafficking Victims Protection Act and two subsequent laws enhancing the fight against human trafficking. He is the co-founder and co-chairman of the bipartisan Internet Freedom Caucus, which promotes free use of the internet around the world and fights repression for political, religious and other reasons.

The congressman also served a chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee where he proved to be a strong legislative powerhouse force, writing 13 laws to expand veterans programs and benefits in the areas of health care, housing, widows benefits, post-service employment and assistance to homeless veterans.

In addition to his work on human rights and veterans, Rep. Smith is very active in several environmental, healthcare and other issues. He has authored numerous bills and amendments enhancing the federal role in these matters and serves as Co-Chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Alzheimer's Task Force, the Coalition for Autism Research and Education, the Congressional Spina Bifida Caucus and the Lyme Disease Caucus.
Congressman Smith and his wife are the proud parents of four children and two grandchildren.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

McMorris Rodgers to Receive “Justice for All” Award by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)

This honor is well deserved and it gives me satisfaction to know that Eric Holder will have to give an award to Congresswoman McMorris Rogers, a pro-lifer, and Patrick Kennedy will have to sit next to her.
He, being a Catholic who openly dissed Bishopo Tobin over abortion should be another pro-lifer.
Anyway, congratulations Congresswoman, you are a credit to your office! KIDS salutes you! (She is addressing the March for Life this January in the photo with her son Cole who has T21, right after we met with her for our KIDS rally)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) will join business leaders and other Members of Congress to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on Wednesday. As a leading advocate for people with disabilities, Rep. McMorris Rodgers will be recognized by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) with the “Justice for All” award for her outstanding leadership on the issue.
She will join the authors of the ADA and several other award recipients to help celebrate the anniversary of this landmark legistlation.
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Awards Ceremony and 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Sunday, July 18, 2010

I know that the innocent people with Down syndrome who were used as homicide bombers in Iraq are in heaven, they cannot offend Our Lord, but just wait till those who strapped the bombs to them stand before the throne of Almighty God.
Jesus, have mercy on them!

Baghdad, July 18 (DPA) At least 36 members of the Sahwa militia were killed Sunday in a suicide bomb explosion believed to have been carried out by a pair of attackers with Down Syndrome, security sources told DPA.

Friday, July 16, 2010

It s so important to stay current on the latest doings of the Obama Administration and to raise a stink when abortion is funded. The Department of Health and Human Services is responding to the furor, caused by the blogosphere, I assume since it wasn't on the news. I suspect it is merely a coverup, but it's interesting to know that if we watch them and raise a stink when the Hyde Amendment is violated, they are worried.

The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) alleged that the PCIPs were going to enable the funding of elective abortion in Pennsylvania (PA) and New Mexico (NM), and possibly more states. Of the three plans that NRLC could analyze, only South Carolina had restrictions on elective abortions.
The allegations sparked a furor that provoked the HHS into clarifying Wednesday that the agency intends to apply Hyde Amendment restrictions to the PCIPs. This, however, was only after they amended an earlier statement purporting that the health care reform law and the executive order prohibited PCIPs from covering elective abortion

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

The Honorable Henry Hyde, God rest him, is known as a great Catholic politician. He is responsible for the Hyde Amendment which bans all Federal Funding of Abortion. Until now.
Now thanks to another so called Catholic politician, Bart Stupak, federal funds will be used to fund abortions. Federal funding of $160 million for a so called "high risk" program will be disbursed from Obamacare to PA abortions.
Though Stupak's support for Obamacare was based on an executive order which supposedly banned the funding of abortions, pro-lifers knew it wasn't real, just a paper promise which has already been broken.
Life Site News says,

"Although an earlier version of the health care legislation prevented federal funds from subsidizing abortion, that protection was not included in the bill signed into law. Although the president's Executive Order regarding funding for abortion was touted as the solution, the White House later admitted the Order simply "reiterated" what was already in the bill. Nonetheless, the mainstream media continues to portray the Executive Order as having effectively blocked federal funds for abortion."

States may opt into this high risk pool which denies that it pays for elective abortions, but fails to define elective. It seems that the only abortions which won't be covered is sex selection abortions. IF the woman says that is why she is seeking abortion. My guess is that counselors will cleverly guide women into saying the right things to get their free abortions. Just like they do in Lila Rose's undercover films at Planned Parenthood, when minors are coached to cover up for statutory rape.

As a result, "Under the Rendell-Sebelius plan, federal funds will subsidize coverage of abortion performed for any reason, except sex selection," said NRLC's Johnson. "The Pennsylvania proposal conspicuously lacks language that would prevent funding of abortions performed as a method of birth control or for any other reason, except sex selection - and the Obama Administration has now approved this."

Don't be fooled by the coverup. If you live in the USA and pay taxes, they are about to go up. When they do, you can be sure that some of that money will be killing babies in Pennsylvania. Thanks to a Catholic politican and Catholic nuns, Sr Carol Keehan and her liberal cohorts who signed the pro-Obamacare petition.
Baby killing made possible by Catholics. Shame on us!
Sign Catholic Vote's petition. asking Sr Keehan to support the Protect Life Act. Let her redeem herself before she goes down in history as the Catholic sister who has blood on her hands.
Thankfully Archbishop Burke has been appointed to the Congregation for Divine Worship. This is the Vatican Office which will decide who may receive Communion. I would suggest to His Excellency that the beforementioned Catholics be first on his list of whom to bar from Communion.
Read about the Archbishop's appointment here.
Read the entire story at Life Site News.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Mel,
We,your bretheren in the Catholic community are saddened to hear of your most recent self-degradation.
But we are not surprised. We saw it coming.
Once you allowed the success of "The Passion of the Christ" which we worked tirelessly to promote, go to your head, we knew the enemy had you in his grasp. We waited in vain for another religious blockbuster.
But you made a bloody epic which had no redeeming qualities.
You had your own church and your own priest, yet somehow you forgot the sacrament of confession.
Your drunken rampages and embarassing anti-Semitic diatribes made even your longsuffering wife of three decades give up on you. Who could blame her?
You forgot your seven children and lived shamelessly in sin with a Russian model. The world didn't mind that, in fact they rejoiced that the holy man, Saint Mel was now no better than the fornicating crowd in Hollywood. They had dragged you down to the gutter. You knew better, yet you complied.
And you are expecting happiness and fulfillment?
Now that you have again put your foot in your mouth, Holllywood is rejecting you.

Monday, July 05, 2010

I live in not far from the home of Samuel Huntington, the first President of the US. While we were deciding on George Washington, he was running the Continental Congress and thus the nation.
We have so little appreciation of the enormous sacrifices given by those who led us through the Revolution, including the signers of the Declartion of Indedpendence. If you want to get a rough idea, watch "The Patriot". This came from Dad, a big history buff, in my email today.
Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors,
and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army;
another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or
hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes,and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.
Eleven were merchants,
nine were farmers and large plantation owners;
men of means, well educated,
but they signed the Declaration of Independence
knowing full well that the penalty would be death if
they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and
trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the
British Navy. He sold his home and properties to
pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British
that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.
He served in the Congress without pay, and his family
was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him,
and poverty was his reward.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that
the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson
home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General
George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed,
and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.
The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.
Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill
were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests
and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his
children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and
silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.
Dante

St. Gertrude Prayer

Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious blood of thy divine son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family.
Amen.